Evil forces drove husband to suicide: widow

Sydney Morning Herald/August 2, 2007
By Linda Morris

The co-founder of the spiritual healing movement Kenja Communications has mounted a ferocious defence of her husband, Ken Dyers, at his funeral and vowed the group would survive the loss of its "prophet".

Jan Hamilton said suppressive forces, evil and corruption and "nightmarish criminal monsters" drove Mr Dyers to his early death last week.

He was facing 22 charges of aggravated indecent and sexual assault on two 12-year-old girls when he took his life at his Bundeena home. He was 85.

During yesterday's non-denominational service on a sports oval in Sutherland, Dyers was eulogised as a leader who stood for truth and individual freedom against corrupt elements of the Department of Public Prosecutions, the NSW Police Force and the tabloid media.

"For all those foes who spread the word that Kenja will fold, well it won't," Ms Hamilton said, raising her voice.

About 300 people attended the service. As a skywriter spelt out Dyers's name, the cortege was greeted by a guard of honour of black-clad Kenja members.

A piper played Amazing Grace, a traditional Maori haka was recited and a cauldron of fire stood flanked by wreaths of flowers. Mourners performed musical or poetic tributes to the man they described as an inspiration, emphasising Dyers'love and respect for children and for women's rights.

On an easel was a copy of an advertisement which appeared in Sydney newspapers. It accused "cult-busting" groups of orchestrating a ruthless and unjustified attack against their founder whom they describe as a "blessing to Australia".

The group, founded by Dyers and wife in 1982, has four centres in Australia. They claim to offer an increased understanding of man's "spiritual nature" via meditation sessions known as "energy conversion" by which negative emotions are turned into positive forces. It denies it is a cult.

Dyers' son, Mike, said his father's life read like a boy's-own adventure: a child of the Depression who served in Africa during World War II then found life's purpose during his 30s.

His father had quit life on his terms and by his rules.

Dyers' lawyer Harland Koops said Dyers' battles against sexual abuse allegations had resulted in "Dyers' directive", a legal precedent which reinforced the right of an accused to a fair trial. That he chose to end his life was not an act of cowardice but to end "crushing oppression" by the state, Mr Koops said.

Uniting Church minister David Milliken, who has worked in cult investigation, said Ms Hamilton's tribute reflected the movement's view of life as a battle between the forces of good versus the "darkening world of evil".

"It's a George Bush speech: everyone who believes in the spiritual universe and individual freedom will find these evil forces rallied against them," he said.

It remained to be seen whether the movement outlasted Dyers.